‘The best vintage of La Pointe I have ever tasted’

What’s La Pointe? Introducing a fabulous Pomerol, only £30/bottle in bond

We first 'got the point' in a restaurant in Pomerol. La Table du Catusseau is a traditionally French establishment geared to its local community, which included more than one château manager on the evening we ate there. But it was the wine list that really grabbed our attention. This being Pomerol, the smallest and most rarefied part of Bordeaux, there were a lot of expensive bottles. In fact, finding a local red within budget was looking tricky. We lighted on a bottle of La Pointe, which none of us knew well. It proved to be an absolute delight, vivid and sensuous and silky.

La Pointe takes its name from the unusual triangular plot of its vineyards. For many years it was poorly managed, which led to a weak reputation, till Eric Monneret was brought in as director in 2007. The first thing he did was carry out a proper soil study, which revealed that above all the vineyards desperately needed drainage. He duly installed it. That study also led to a complete replanting programme, moving vines to the parts of the vineyard that suited them best: Cabernet Franc (15%) on the gravels of the Isle river terrace, and Merlot (85%) on a mix of gravel, clay and sand. He got rid of the Cabernet Sauvignon, which was not really suited to the vineyard, and under his tenure yields have been kept much lower than they used to be.

The results have been nothing short of spectacular, and the reputation of La Pointe is soaring. We've been delighted to pick up a parcel of 2020 La Pointe, which Jeff Leve has called 'the best vintage of La Pointe I have ever tasted' (winecellarinsider.com). It's superb; juicy and unforced, full of fruit and flower and Pomerol typicité. It's also drinking very well right now, though if you like your Bordeaux on the mature side there's plenty of cellar potential. Uncorked has got stuck in already, and we recommend you do, too. /NT

Offered subject to remaining unsold. Wines available immediately. To place an order, click on the wines below or call 020 7638 5998